Footwear



Jan. 2, 1940.

K. M. cox

FOOTWEAR Filed Feb. 2, 1939 Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNiTEo STATES r E -Tgo-FicE u FOOTWEAR,

Keith M. Cox, Darlington, Ind., assignor of forty one-hundredths toRaymond F. jAndcrson, v

Darlington, Ind.

Application February 2,'1939, Seria1' No.' 254,284

5 Claims. ores-4.1

This invention relates to footwear, and it is a. particular object ofthe invention to provide an article of this kind especially designed andadapted for use when taking a shower bath.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of footwearso constructed as to provide means to effectively prevent slipping andfalling during a shower bath and to keep the foot of the wearer to whichit is applied clean while going from the shower to the locker or thelike whereby infection, particularly in public places,

is substantially avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of footwearwhich is especially intended for use by athletes although it may be usedin the home or wherever a shower bath is employed. I

An additional object of the invention is to provide an article offootwear so constructed as to allow the foot to which it is applied tobe washed with substantially the same ease as when the foot is in anaked state.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improvedfootwearwhereby certain important advantages are attained and thearticle rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenientand advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of an article of foot wear constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the device as illustrated in Figure1;

Figure 3 is-a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 ofFigure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As, disclosed in the accompanying drawing, l denotes the bottom of theshoe formed of sponge rubber and is so designed as to underlie a footfrom toe to heel. The marginal portions of this bottom member l aredefined by the upstanding flanges 2 the inner faces 3 of which aredisposed on an inward and downward incline and particularly along thesides thereof. The flange 2 at the front end of the sole I is formed toprovide an inwardly disposed toe clip a. The flange 2 along each side ofthe shoe is provided therethroughwith the=-longitudinally spaced drainopenings or holes 4 and the marginal portions of the'sole 1 along thesides thereof are provided with the outwardly and downwardly inclineddrain holes 5. I

The-bottom or under face of the sole I is suitably sealed; as at b, toexclude water while the top or upper surface of the sole-l is providedwith the perpendicularlyrelated grooves or channels 6 whichprovidedra'inage' of the water to the dischargeopenings 5. I

Therear' end of the member I or heel portion of the flange 2 is providedwith anupstanding counter 1 of desired size and configuration. The upperportion of this counter 1' has. suitably securedthereto the extremitiesof an ankle encircling cord-or loop 8 comprising a strand of liverubber. The side members of this loop 8 are connected by the cords 90flive rubber with the side flanges'2 at a pointin advance of but closelyadjacent to theheel portion of the member I. The forward end portion ofthe loop member 8 isconne'cted'by the strands it also ofliverubber'withthe'up'permarginal portion of the clip. Ashereindis'cl'osed; these "strands ill are two'in numbe'i' andinspaced-relation.

Extending upwardly from the front or sole portion of the member I arethe knobs ll herein disclosedas being conoidal in form. These knobs l lin practice are preferably three-quarter inch high with a bottomdiameter of one-half inch and a top diameter of one-quarter inch. Theseknobs H are arranged in triangular form with the single knob in thefront. These knobs are also positionedat the ball portion of the memberI. I

The heel portion of the member I is also provided with the upstandingknobs l2 also conoidal and in triangular relation with the single knobrearwardly disposed and at the transverse center of the heel portion.

These knobs l l and I2 are preferably of sponge rubber or such othermaterial that will readily compress under the weight of a person wearingthe shoe yet normally maintaining its fixed conoidal form when free ofload or pressure.

The loop 8 together with the cords '9 and I0 provide means foreffectively maintaining the article of footwear upon the foot of aperson and particularly when the'foot Wearing the article is raised fromthe floor. When the foot'is raised from the floor when the person is ina shower, the knobs H and I2 will have suificient spring eiiect to forcethe member I away from the foot allowing suificient space for the wearerto apply soap to the sole of his foot. Then by stamping the foot up anddown the sponge rubber member I will form a squishing effect which byforcing water up on the sole of the foot will thorough- 5 ly rinse thesoap from the foot. It is also believed to be obvious that any excesswater which may collect upon the member I will readily drain out throughthe openings 4 and 5.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that anarticle of footwear constructed in accordance with my invention isparticularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience andfacility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will alsobe obvious that my ing vention is susceptible of some change andmodification without departing from the principles and spirit thereofand for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim: 1. A bathing sandal comprising a bottom member of porousmaterial having an under face impervious to moisture, the side marginalportions of said member being provided therealong with downwardly andoutwardly inclined drain openings, a plurality of upstanding resilientknobs carried by the bottom member at the heel and sole portion thereof,said members readily compressing but normally maintaining a fixed raisedform, and means carried by the bottom member for holding the bottommember in place upon a foot.

2. A bathing sandal comprising a bottom member of porous material havingan under face impervious to moisture, the side marginal portions of saidmember being provided therealong with downwardly and outwardly inclineddrain openings, a plurality of upstanding resilient knobs carried by thebottom member at the heel and sole portion thereof, said knobs readilycompressing but normally maintaining a fixed raised form, and meanscarried by the bottom member for holding the bottom member in place upona foot, said knobs at the toe portion being in triangular arrangementwith the apex knob forwardly directed.

3. A bathing sandal comprising a bottom member of porous material havingan under face impervious to moisture, the side marginal portions of saidmember being provided therealong with downwardly and outwardly inclineddrain openings, a plurality of upstanding resilient knobs carried by thebottom member at the heel and sole portion thereof, said knobs readilycompressing but normally maintaining a fixed raised form, and meanscarried by the bottom member for holding the bottom member in place upona foot, the knobs at the heel portion of the bottom member being intriangular arrangement with the apex knob rearwardly disposed.

4. A bathing sandal comprising a bottom member of porous material havingan under face impervious to moisture, the side marginal portions of saidmember being provided therealong with downwardly and outwardly inclineddrain openings, a plurality of upstanding resilient knobs carried by thebottom member at the heel and sole portion thereof, said knobs readilycompressing but normally maintaining afixed raised form,

and means carried by the bottom member for holding the bottom member inplace upon a foot, the side marginal portions of the bottom member beingdefined by upstanding flanges having drain openings therethrough.

5. A bathing sandal comprising a bottom member of porous material havingan under face impervious to moisture, the side marginal portions of saidmember being provided therealong with downwardly and outwardly inclineddrain openr ings, a plurality of upstanding resilient knobs carried bythe bottom member at the heel and sole portion thereof, said knobsreadily compressing but normally maintaining a fixed raised form, andmeans carried by the bottom member for holding the bottom member inplace upon a foot, the upper surface of the bottom member being providedtherethrough with grooves for carrying liquid to the drain openings.

KEITH M. COX.

